For years I’ve spoken to groups, asking countless professionals which of the five F’s they’re driven by: Fame, Fear, Fortune, Fun or Freedom. In my estimation, you’re either driven by the opportunity to make more money, fearful of being unemployed, or determined to beat the competition in the ratings, and earn respect from those you cover and those you work with and compete against in your industry. Some also crave the flexibility of being able to tackle multiple challenges, or they simply love the work and the access and relationships that come from it.
I know media outlets love to write about career changes involving professionals. Money is often used to judge if someone did or didn’t make the right decision. We do it with sports constantly, but now it seeps into sports media too. Case in point, Adrian Wojnarowski’s recent exit from ESPN. When Woj announced his departure, numerous sites zeroed in on what he left on the table. They didn’t raise questions about the burnout factor of reporting, look into his personal happiness or examine his personal connection with his alma matter. Instead, it was about the years and dollars left behind on his ESPN contract.
Everyone wants to be paid top dollar for their contributions. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, the best are often driven by more than a paycheck. It’s the thrill of competition, the satisfaction of winning, the concern of getting beat, the personal connection to someone or something, the constant quest to earn respect from those who matter, and the flexibility to do what you want, especially as you have more success.
Once you’ve made real money, the dollars and flexibility represent respect and status. Take Stephen A. Smith for instance. The king of First Take isn’t hurting to pay his mortgage. He could retire today, and most would say he’s had a legendary, hall of fame career. Stephen A. is driven to be paid the most because it says he’s the best, and ESPN views him as being critical to their success.
There’s a precedent for expecting the company to compensate him more. He’s consistently ranked #1 for over a decade, appears on and lifts other company shows, and ESPN has invested larger dollars in Pat McAfee, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Mike Greenberg, and a few others. Stephen A. wants to make sure the company recognizes his value, and expecting it is more than fair.
In Woj’s case, let’s be real, he isn’t broke. He made plenty of money at ESPN, and isn’t going to work for St. Bonaventure for free. He cemented his legacy as one of the best to ever report on the NBA, and proved that he can thrive with and without ESPN. If he was tired of the job and had other ambitions he wanted to pursue, it wasn’t going to matter if the annual salary was seven, ten, fifteen or twenty million dollars. Once someone has reached the mountain top of their profession, it’s natural to ask ‘what’s left to do?’ If all you have to keep them motivated is higher income, eventually they seek other challenges.
The same is true of Stephen A. Smith. ESPN could offer twenty million dollars per year tomorrow, and if it came without additional opportunities beyond First Take, and having to give up his production company, he’d likely take a pass. He now hosts a video show/podcast, appears on news television, and is getting further involved in writing shows. Guys like Smith enjoy the shows they’ve made successful but that’s not enough to keep them interested. They need more. It’s likely why you’ve seen reports about Stephen A. wanting to be involved with ESPN’s NFL programming.
Stars want to rule the world, and be given the freedom to explore new avenues. They crave much more than a paycheck. It’s the competition, the quest for respect, and the desire to continually challenge themselves that keep them hungry.
I have never cashed a check as large as what some of these guys earn, but I have been paid near the top of the sports radio programming profession. I know what it’s like to cash a big check and wonder ‘how the heck did this happen?’. It’s a great feeling. But after you strike a deal, and see your bank account expand, you eventually need a bigger challenge. Once you find it, conquer it, and do it consistently, you’ll eventually ask ‘what’s next?’ If the only answer is ‘more of the same but for more money’, you eventually get bored and seek other opportunities.
Look around. Jason Kelce has a podcast and ESPN Monday Night role. SVP does SportsCenter, and ESPN Monday Night Football work. Mike Greenberg hosts GetUp!, the NFL Draft, a daily radio show, ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown, and writes books. Others like Shannon Sharpe, Colin Cowherd, Ryan Clark, Chris Russo, and Clay Travis are involved in multiple projects. Money plays a role in keeping them happy, but I suspect they’re driven by much more than that.
There’s no right or wrong answer, but many on local levels tend to worry more about losing their position than those on national stages. I’ve also heard many admit to being driven by fortune because making a good living in radio/podcasting isn’t exactly easy. Though understandable, if your focus is on being the best, delivering results, and earning respect, the rest takes care of itself. Money finds its way to those who perform, and it’s harder to terminate an individual who delivers results.
In any event, companies have to understand that the best expect to be compensated, and challenged. Money matters, but if it’s all you’ve got, eventually your top stars will chase new situations. Similar to a relationship, you’ve got to keep working at it, and introduce new ways to keep it interesting. A good place to start is by investing in them early, and asking, and taking an interest in helping them achieve their goals. When stars feel valued, and challenged, they tend to stick around.
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
